In October 2007, Dominique Strauss-Kahn is scheduled to assume the helm of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He will do so at a time when the IMF is no longer a major lender to emerging market economies and when the IMF seems to have little to say about today’s large global payment imbalances.
Panelists at this seminar will discuss what Strauss-Kahn’s priorities should be to increase the IMF’s relevance. Should the IMF play a more significant role as umpire in today’s exchange rate disputes? How might the IMF give a greater voice to countries like China whose role in the international financial system has increased? Should the IMF be streamlined to bring its expenditures more in line with its dwindling income?
Timothy Adams, former U.S. Treasury undersecretary for international affairs; Andrew Crockett, former head of the Bank for International Settlement; Allan Meltzer, former chairman of the International Financial Institution Advisory Commission; Edwin M. Truman, former U.S. assistant treasury secretary; and Onno Wijnholds, current European Central Bank representative at the IMF will answer these and other questions. Desmond Lachman of AEI will moderate.